Sheet handling mechanism



March 3, 1942. M, -rs 2,274,738

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LOUIS M. POTTS FIG. 6

' ATTORNEY.

March 3, 1942. L, M, Fons 2,214,738 4 SHEET mam MECHANISM Qriginal Filed Dec; 20, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOUI'S M- POTTS Patented Mar. 3, 1942 SHE ET Louis M. Potts, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 11L,

Delaware 1 a corporation 01' Original application December 20, 1937, Serial No.

180,716. Divided and this application December 30, 1939, S.erial No. 311,737

21 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet handling mechanism and particularly to apparatus for storing and delivering control forms for telegraph transmitters. Y

This application is a division of copending application, Serial No. 180,716, filed December 20, 1937, by Louis M. Potts.

An object of the invention is to receive an store a plurality of sheets or pages fordelivery successively to a page receiving device and to deliver the pages or sheets thereto in succession anism is automatically arrested when the last page of message material has been transmitted and is automatically restarted by the placing of a page in the storage mechanism.

For a full and complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description to beconsideredin conjunc tion with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 is-a plan view of the telegraph transmitter having various portions broken away to reveal structural details automatically.

The invention is particularly adapted to the storing and delivering, to a telegraph tra'nsmitter, of message pages having indicia forcontrolling the transmission of telegraph signals corresponding to the message indicia.

The telegraph transmitter, with which the page handling mechanism according to the present invention is adapted to cooperate, is provided with a pair of endless bands spaced apart a distance depending upon the width of a page upon which signals to be transmitted have been Fig. 2 is a plan view of the page handlinginechanism having portions broken away to reveal structural details; I

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the sheet handling mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with certainparts broken away or in section to show structural details;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the operating mechanism' appearing at the right of Fig. 3, showing the mechanism at a different time in a cycle of impressed, and supported for movement in' parv allel paths by two pairs of sprockets or pulleys carried by two shafts. The belts or hands are provided with feed pins for receiving and holding in proper alignment a message page. A pair of endless scanning belts extends transversely of the page supporting belts and these scanning belts are operated to effect the scanning, by a photoelectric system, of the telegraph code signal combinations in a line.

The code signal combinations generated, in addition to being impressed upon a communication channel, control the operation of a selector mechanism local to the transmitter. The selector mechanism controls the performance of functions in the transmitter; such as the advancement of the page step by' step to bring successive lines of message indicia into registry with the-scanning belts and the photoelectric system, and the feeding out of the page from the [transmitter after the complete message has been transmitted.

The sheet handling mechanism, according to the present invention, is mounted adjacent to the telegraph transmitter, and is provided with sprocket feed mechanism for engaging a plurality of message pages arranged overlapping for advancement simultaneously and delivery successively to the page handling bands of the transmitter. The feed mechanism of the page storage mechanism is actuated" by the page handling band mechanism of the transmitter. The message storage and the message transmitting mechoperation;

Fig. 5 'is adetail view of a pawl and ratchet feed mechanism for the page handling mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of electrical control system.

Referring now to Fig. 1 which shows particuthe ' larly the message page handling and scanning mechanism of the telegraph transmitter, the reference numeral 2| designates an electric motor; the rotor shaft 22 of which carries a pinion which meshes with a gear 21 secured to shaft 24 iournaled in brackets 23. Shaft 24 carries a gear 28 which is engaged by a gear 29 secured to a shaft 3| joumaled in brackets 32 and 33. Adjacent to the end Journaled inbracket 33, shaft 3| has secured thereto a pinion (not shown) which is engaged by a gear 36 secured to a ,short shaft 31 that is journaled in bracket 38 carried'by bracket 33. Shaft 31 supports and drives, through a springlqaded friction clutch 40, a gear 39 with which is meshed a gear 4| secured to shaft 42 which is rotatably supportedby bracket 43.

applied through the spring loaded friction clutch 40 of shaft 3Lby an escapement mechanism which will be described later.

Shaft 42 is normally restrained from rotating in response to the torque continucusly' 2., v- I Q.

n are likewise provided with feed pins 50. and:

less bands 49 extend from each of the sprockets 44 to the corresponding sprockets '41. Bands 49 may befabricated from any durable thin sheet material, such as sheet steel,- and each is provided with feed perforations spaced in accordance with the spacing of feed pins 46 and 58 of sprockets 44 and 41, so that when shaft 42 is permitted to rotate, bands 49 travel in endless paths. Bands 49 are provided with feed pins 52'similar to sprocket feed pins 46, and these pins are disposed intermediate each two feed perforations 6 Endless bands 49 serve to support and feed through the transmitting mechanism a page width paper which carries the code signal comtation to the driving element 57 of a jaw clutch.

Driven element 58 of the jaw clutch is slidable axially of shaft 3| and'is urged toward driving element 57 by compression spring 59. The jaw clutch, consisting of elements 51 and 58, is of the single revolution type and the disengagement is effected by clutch throwout lever 6| cooperating with fiange 62 carried by driven ele ment 68. Driven element 58 of the clutch mechanism is splined to sleeve 63, which is'mounted on shaft 3| and is free of the shaft so as to be capable of remaining stationary while the shaft rotates, and which constitutes the element that is driven intermittently by the clutch mechanism.

Sleeve 63 supports for rotation independently thereof a drum 6% having sprocket pins 66 uni formly spaced around the periphery thereof. A

ratchet 6'! is secured to drum 64 and-step-bystep rotational movement is imparted to ratchet 47 and thus to drum 64 by means driven by gear 68 secured to shaft 3|, as is fully'disclosed in the 'copending application. Sleeve 63 alsosupports for free rotation with respect thereto a drum 63 having sprocket pins 1| arranged around the periphery thereof. A ratchet 12 is secured to drum 69 and continuous unidirectional notational motion is imparted to ratchet I2 by means and under circumstances fully disclosed in the copending application.

At a point remote from drums 64 and. 69, opposed brackets 13 and 14 are adjustably mounted by screws extending through slots in the bases of the bracket and clamping the brackets to the base of the transmitter. Brackets 13 and I4 rotatably support drums 16 and II, respectively, which are aligned with drums 64 and 68, respectively. Drum 16 has sprocket pins 18 around the periphery thereof and drum 1'! has similar sprocket pins 19. And endless flexible band 8| of any opaque material, such as thin metal, extends around and between drums 64 and I6, and is provided in one margin thereof with feed perforations 82 spaced' to be entered by the sprocket feed pins 66 and 18. The upper tangent run of endless band 8| extends across the transmitter just below the upper tangent run of message page feed bands 49 and is moved unidirectionally in stepby-step movement when drum 64 isjrotated step-by-step. Band 8| is provided in the body thereof with transversely extending slots (not shown) of suflicient width and length to register with all of thesignal impulse elements-of a single -code signal combination carried by the message page 53; It will be apparent that as band 8| is moved in the direccommodate plus the width of one code signal combination. Thus, only one of its transverse slots may be in registry with any portion of a line of. signal combinations on the page at a time.

larger in diameter than drums 64 and 16, to enable an endless flexible band 83 of opaque material tooverlie and overlap band 8|. Band 83 is provided adjacentone edge with spaced feed perforations 86 that are entered by sprocket pins 7| and. 19. Band 83 is provided with a plurality of sets of longitudinally extending slots, each set consisting of a number of slots 86 equal in number to the signal elements of a signal combination and preferably disposed in obliquely oifset arrangement, so that as band 83' is moved, due to continuous rotation of sprocket 12, the slots 86 of a set register successively with the transversely extending slot of band 8|. The distance from the beginning of one set of slots 86 to the beginning of the next set is equal to the circumference of drums 69 and I! so that as the drums make one complete revolution any one of'the sets of slots will be brought exactly into the position occupied by the preceding'set at the beginning of the revolution. As is disclosed in the copending application, for each stepping movement of drum 64 to advance a slot in band 8| from one to another of the code combinations on page 53, drum 69 rotates through one revolution plus the distance from one to another of two code combinations, thereby causing the sets of slots 86 to keep in step with the advancement of band 8| so that for each advancement of band 8| one of the sets of slot 86 is brought into position to traverse immediately'the transverse slot in band 8| which is in registry witha code combination on message page 53.

A lamp-861s positioned above the bands Bland 83 and extends transversely of message page 53 to illuminate an entire line of signal combinations. A photosensitive cell (not shown) extends transversely of message page 53, as disclosed in the copending application, below the bands 8| and 83 for generating signal impulses when activated by light from lamp 86 band 83 represent the elements of permutation code signal-combinations, and the impulses initiated due to the traversal by a set of slots 86, of the code signal elements below which a transverse slot in belt 8| is positioned, may be of marking or spacing nature, depending upon the nature of the code impressions on the message page scanned by the slots.

In order to control the advancement of mes'-' sage page 53 through the transmitter, whether for line feeding to bring a new line of signal combinations into registry with the scanning bands 8| and.83, or for feeding a message page out of the transmitter at the completion of transmission of the message, a set of permutation code selector bars 9| is provided. The bars 9| may Drums 69 and I7 are preferably just enough The slots 86 in he controlled by apermutation code receiving selector/mechanism responding to the signal combinations generated as a result of the scan- -ning of code signal combinations in message pa e 53.

. For advancing the message page 53 to bring a" new line of signal combinations into registry with the scanning bands, which may be described as a line feed operation, a selectable bar 92 co-op-:

erates with the selector bars 9| .and enters an alignment of notches in the bars 9| when they have been set according to the line feed signal combination. The selectable bar 92 upon being selected, is moved forwardly (toward the bottom and gears 39 and 4| ratchet 94 is rotated and with it sprockets 44 to move message page supporting band 49 toward the rear of the transmitter mechanism (upwardly; as viewed in Fig. 1) to advance message page 53. Shaft 48 which has secured thereto the front message feed band supporting sprockets 41 also has secured thereto a cam 99 which has cam projections corresponding to the number ofteeth on escapement wheel 94, and which is also rotated when ratchet'94 is rotated, the motion being imparted through bands 49, sprockets 41, and shaft 48. A lever 91 engages the periphery of cam 98 and is associated with-the foremost end of selectable bar 92. As

cam 96 is rotated the first cam projection which encounters lever 91 rocks it and thereby imparts such movement to selectable bar 92 at its for-- ward and as to cause escapement pawl 93 tobe restored to normal relation to escapement wheel 94. Cam 96 and lever 91 serve as a trip-ofl? device to permit escapementwheel 94 to be rotated through only one escapement step so that each line of signal combinations on message page 53 shall be arrested in succession at the scanning position.

For advancing a message page 53 out of the transmitter entirely atthe conclusion of transmission of a message there is provided a selectable bar -99 which also co-operates with notched permutation code bars 9|. When selectable bar 98 is selected and operated, it disengages both ends of the escapement pawl mechanism 93 from escapement wheel 94 so that wheel 94 and shaft 42 are released for rotation without interference by successive teeth of wheel 94. Shaft 48 also has secured thereto adjacent to cam 96 a cam 99 which has only one cam projection. A lever |0l co-operates with the periphery of cam 99 and engages the foremost end of selectable bar 98. When the single tooth of cam 99 encounters and operates lever llll selectable bar 98 is restored to normal position as a result of which escapement pawl 93 is also restored to normal position and arrests shaft 42.

In order that the transmitter may be operated continuously without-requiring the manual insertion of page after page of messages as thetransmission of signals from each page is com-' pleted and the message page is ejected from the transmitter as a result of the selection and operation of selectable bar 98, a message storage magazine is provided. The construction of the in Figs. 2 to 5 message storage magazine is shown inclusive.

Referring to Fig. 3, the reference numeral H| designates a platform which is mounted to slope downwardly towards message feed bands 49 and which .terminates Just above the message feed idler sprockets 41. Platform H| is providedwith an integral frame edge H2 which serves to maintain the message p'agesin proper alignment upon platform HI and the right-handend of which, as viewed in Fig. 3, is separated and spaced right-- wardly from the lowermost end of platform Ill, producing a message exit slot.

A pivot rod I I3 is supported by the side offrame H2 and this rod extends across the platform HI in parallel relation thereto. A ball H4 is pivotally supported by 'rod H3 just inside the frame H2 and the transverse portion of the bail is disposed in the space between the, right-hand end of platform Ill and the right-hand end of frame edge H2. Just below one of the side arms of bail H4 platform .I H is provided with a slot through which extends a cam follower arm H8 integral with one side arm of the bail. 'A cam H1 is secured to the message feed idler shaft"48 and the periphery of the cam is engaged by cam follower arm H6. Cam H1 is provided with a single indentation so that once in each cycle of rotation of shaft 48 bail H9 is permitted to rock clockwise in response to biasing tension spring H8 and is thereafter restored to its counterclockwise. position. The purpose of bail H4 is to depress into engagement with the message feed bands 49 the foremost end of a message page supported by platform Ill. 2 7

At equally spaced points throughout their lengths the message feed bands 49 are provided with feed pins H9 which-differfrom pins 52 in that they are claw-shaped. similar construction is disclosedin Patent No. 1,060,939. Pins. l9 are carried by leaf springs I ll secured to the inner side of bands 49 and are projected through apertures in the bands. Leaf springs |2| are so 1 tensioned that their free ends tend-todraw away.

from bands 49 whereby pins 9 are normally retracted from the outer surface of bands 49. When that portion of a band'49 which carries a spring |2| passes overone of the sprockets, spring |2| is flexed into engagement with the underside to the cam follower H6 so that bail H4 is permitted to rock clockwise, a claw-shaped pin H9 of each band 49 is presented directly beneath the first of the marginal perforations in a message 4 page which has its foremost end presented adjacent to the right-hand end (Fig. 9) of frame I I2,

so that the foremost perforations are fitted over claw-shaped pins H9 by bail H4 as it rocks clockwise. I From this it will be apparent that preferably the spacing between any two' claw-shaped pins i9 is equal to the circumference of sprockets 41 and further that the length of a band 49 is equal to an integral multiple of that circumference, so that pins H9 are uniformly spaced upon band 49. a

The timing of the mechanism is such that bail I4 is restored to its normal. position before claw H9 has been carried forward to a point at which it would strike the transverse portion of the bail, and the right-hand end of frame I I2 may be pro-' vided with clearances in alignment with the pins carried by band '49 through which claw-shaped pins H9 may pass. Claw-shaped pin H9 carry the message forward and as soon as they move free of any supporting surfaces such as sprockets 41 they are retracted by their springs I2I. By the time they are permitted to be retracted other feed pins carried by bands 49 have entered the marginal perforation in the message page so that engagement of the page by the claw-shaped pin a projected through their apertures in bands 49 as these pins pas across the scanning bands, as pins in their retracted positions would interfere with the operation of the scanning band. Accordingly aa'vavts disposed upon pins I24 of ratchet feed wheel I 23.

The timing of'the' rotation of shaft I22 bydisc I38 is such that about the time bail II4 rocks clockwise to engage a message page with clawbe moved forward by bands 49, ratchet I25 is opshaped pins II9, whereby the message begins to erated to free the, page from engagement with sprocket wheels I23, and the peripheral speed of sprockets I23 should be compatible with the peripheral speed of sprockets 41, so that mutilation of the message feed perforation shall not occur.

A plurality of message pages may be stored in the message magazine in overlap arrangement,

each page being set back from the one below it adistance equal to that between feed perforations as shown in Fig. 2. A pair of pressure rolls the pin supporting strips N5 of suflicient length to accomplish the purpose outlined above may be supported between bands 49 and the scanning bands as shown in Fig. 1.

At a point remote from its lowermost edge platform III carries rotatable shaft I22 which may be mounted in journal brackets (not shown) depending from the underside of platform I. Shaft I 22 has secured thereto a pair of sprocket feed wheels I23 spaced apart in accordance with the spacing between message feed bands 49, so that their feed pins I24 may register with the marginal perforations in a message page deposited in the message magazine and confined between the sides of its frame II2. Platform III is provided with apertures in alignment with the sprocket feed wheels I23 of sufficient size to permit feed pins I24 to project successively above the surface of platform III. Shaft I 22 also ha secured thereto a ratchet wheel I26 which is engaged by a jockey detent I21 arranged to arrest ratchet wheel I25 in predetermined angular po- I42 rotatably mounted upon pins carried by the left-hand ends (Fig. 3) of the arms I43 pivotally mounted on rod H3 and connected together by brace I servesto retain a pile-up of message pages in engagement with sprocket wheels I23. Each time ratchet I26 is operated all of the message pages are shifted downwardly along the inclined platform III, the lowermost message, if in position to be engaged by the pins H9 i advanced free of sprocket I23 so that it may be advanced by bands 49 to the transmitting position,

and the message next above it is brought into position where its foremost end is in position to be next picked up by band 43. The spindle which support 'one of the pressure rolls I42 also supports a roll I 44 which has a relatively deep peripheral groove I45 intermediate its ends. Below platform II I a. roll I46 thin enough to enter groove I45 of roll I44 is rotatably supported in alignment with said groove by one end of a lever I41 pivoted to bracket I48. A ten- 'sitions. The angular disposition of ratchet wheel I25 with respect to sprocket wheels I23 is such that in each position of arrestment of shaft I22 a pin I24 on each of the sprocket Wheel 123 projects through platform I I I approximately normal thereto.

Shaft I22 pivotally supports a plate I28 which carries pivotally mounted ratchet feed pawl I29.-

Pawl I29 is biased into engagement with ratchet I25 by tension spring I3I. A link I32 connects plate I28 to one end of a lever- I33 pivotally mounted at I34 on a bracket I 36 which depends from the underside of platform III adjacent the lowermost end thereof. The other end of lever I33 is disposed in the path of a pin I 39extend ing from the face of a disc I38 fixed to the message feed idler shaft 48. When pin I39 engages lever I33 during the rotation of disc I38 it imparts counterclockwise rocking movement to lever I 33 which, in turn, moves link I32 leftwardly as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. Link I 32, in turn, rocks plate I28 clockwise, which, through pawl I29 and ratchet wheel I26, rotates sprocket wheels I23 clockwise one ratchet feed step. After pin I39 passes the end of =lever I33, the latter and link I32 and plat I28 are restored to normal position by tension spring I4I which engages link I32.

The distance from the right-hand end of frame, II2 as viewed in Fig. 3, to the point at whichla pin I24 of sprocket wheel I23 projects through platform III is preferably such that when a standard length message page has its foremost end abutting the right-hand end of frame II2 its most remote feed perforations are sion spring I49 biases lever I41 in clockwise direction, and paltform I. is provided with an aper ture at the point of registry of roll I46 with roll I42 so that when there are no message pages stored on platform III lever I41 may rock clockwise and roll I 46 may enter groove I45 in roll I 44. However, when platform III i supporting one or more message pages rolls I44 and I46 are held separated by the message pages. At its other end lever I41 engages one of a pair'of contact springs I5I and holds the springs engaged when roll I44 and I45 are maintained separated by a-message page. When the supply of message pages is exhausted and lever I41 rocks clockwise, contact springs I5I separate and open an electrical circuit to be described later, the circuit remaining open until more message pages are placed in the magazine.

A roll I52 similar to roll I44 and provided with peripheral groove I53 is rotatably mounted in the free end of an arm I54 that is pivotally mounted on rod II 3. 'A tension sring I55 biases arm I54 in clockwise direction and arm I54 extends rightwardly well beyond the end of frame 2 so that roll I52 may engage and be suported by a message page adjacent to the scanning position.' A thin roll I55 capable of entering groove I53 in roll I52 is rotatably supported by one end of a lever- I51 which is pivotally supported by bracket I58. A tension spring I58 biases lever I51 counterclockwise so that roll I55 seeks entrance into groove I53 of roll I52. The presence of a message page between rolls I52 and I55 prevents counterclockwise rocking movement of lever I51. At its other end lever I 51 engages one of a pair of contact springs I6I and maintains those springs in engagement when lever I51 is retained in its extreme clockwise position.

canvas A pin I62 is carried by'the underside of lever I51 directly above shaft 48 and the pin engages permit opening: of contact springs I6I the instant that a message page is withdrawn from between rolls I52 and I55 but that such opening must await the presentation of the indenta ion in the periphery of cam I63 to pin I62. he timing of the rocking of lever I51 with res t to the operation of other elements associated with'shaft 48 is controlled thereby and the function of contact springs I6I in the electrical circuit will be described hereinafter.

The electrical control system for the transmitter is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6. Power cord I66 which may be plugged into any convenient source of power is connected to power terminals I61 and I68. A circuit for a switching magnet I69 is tracedfrom power terminal I61 through conductor. I1I, conductor I12, contact springs I6I, conductor I13, winding of switching relay I69, resistance I14, and conductor I16 to power terminal I68. Thus when contact springs I6I are engaged switching relay I69 is energized and its contact tongue I11 which is connected by conductor I18 to conductor "I is held in engagement with front centact 119 from which a conductive path may be traced through conductor I 8|, normally closed switch I82, winding of electromagnet I84, resistance I86, conductor I81 and conductor 6 to power terminal I68.

Electromagnet I84 has a mechanical function for an understanding of which reference may be had to Fig. l. Armature I88 of magnet I84 is conductor I81 and conductor I16 to power termithat a conductive path may traced from back contact m of switching magnet l69 through, conductor I98, contact springs I5I, normally closed switch I94, conductor I96, winding of electromagnet I91, resistance I98, conductor I99,

nal I66.- It will be evident from this'that when switching magnet I69'isde-energized so that its contact tongue I11 engages back contact I92, and contact springs I5I are closed, electromagnet I91 willbe energized. Stating-the same'condition from the standpoint of the operation of the transmitter, electromagnet I91 will be energized when there is one or more messages in the message magazine awaiting transmission although there is no message page in vthe transmitter, the

presence of message pages in the magazine being indicated by the closed condition of contact s ing I c I Electromagnet I91 also performs a mechanical function an understanding of which may be had by reference to Fig. 1. The armature I95 of magnet I 91 is connected, as is fully disclosed in the copending application, to the foremost end of message ejecting function selectable bar 98. Upon the energization of electromagnet I91 function bar 98 is shifted forwardly (downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1) to effect the retraction of both ends of 'escapementpawl 93 from engagement with escapement ratchet 94, wherebyv continuous advancement of message page supporting bands 49 is initiated aspreviously set forth.

Switch I94 is provided for preventing the operation of magnet I91, as for convenience in testing and adjusting the magnet or related apparatus or when inserting or rearranging messages connected by link I89 which controls a stop mechanism for the transmitter, as fully dis-,

closed in the copending application, to effect arrestment of the signal scanning and signal transmitting operations when magnet I84 is deenergized and to set in operation the signal scanning and signal transmitting mechanisms when bands and the transmitting mechanismis supervised by message pagefollower lever I51 and cam I63 that when no message page is disposed between rollers I52 and I55 and cam I68 has rotated into the position shown in Fig. 3 contacts I6I will be opened, switching magnet I69 will be de-energized, contact tongue I11 will move out of engagement with its front contact I19, the energizing circuit for magnet I84 will be opened and armature I88 will be retracted to efiect the arrestment of the signal scanning and signal transmitting operations; Thus the scanning bands cannot perform idle scanning operations'when no message page is positioned to be scanned. Upon the rep-insertion for auto-- -magnet I84 is energized. From this it will be observed that the operation of the scanning in the storage magazine, so that a message feed operation shall not be initiated at an improper t me. 1

As is fully disclosed'in the copending application, a latch is provided for the armature of magnet I91 which latches the armature in attracted position and which is released by lever IIII when thatlever is operated by cam 99. The reason for the provision of the latching mechanism is that magnet I91 remains energized only aslong as switching magnet I69 is de-energized and the letter magnet can remain de-energized only as long as the recess in cam I63 is presented to the cam follower pin I62 of lever I51. The

, rotation of escapement" ratchet 84 upon with} drawal oi' the escapement pawl 93 results in rotation of cam I69 and immediate reclosure of-contacts I6I. Magnet I69 is thus again energized and the magnet I91 becomes de-energized. It

- is necessary to prolong the operation of message feed bands 49 after magnet I91 becomes de-energized in order to efiect the advancement of messages in the magazine or the presentation of the first line of signal combinations on a pa e received from the magazinein the scanning position. The latch mechanism for the armature of magnet I91 accomplishes this prolongation.

The position of cam I69 on shaft 48 is preferably such that the indentation in the cam is presented to the follower pin I62 at the instant that lever II is operated by cam 99 to eifect the release of armature of magnet I91 and the arrestment of escapement wheel 94.- Thus if no message page has been presented between rolls I52 and I55 switching magnet I69 will become deenergized, magnet I91 will become energized and its armature will again become attracted I and to Fig. 6 it will be observed 7 latched. Another message feed operation seekthe message.

"ing to present a page to the scanning position will thus be initiated.

Once in each revolution of disc I38 (Figs. 3 and 4) attending the successive message feed function operations initiated by magnet I91 the magazine message feed mechanism comprising lever I33, link I32, pawl I29 and ratchet I26 will be operated. Magazine message feed sprockets I23 will thus be operated periodically and any deliver it to the scanning position in a single operation and the feed perforations may be torn out. It will be evident that with the page storage magazine proportioned as outlined above the right-hand end of frame II2 may serve as a guide for the positioning of the first of a supply of message pages. With the leading edge of the page abutting the end of frame 2 the last feed perforations on the page will be substantially in registry .with sprocket pins I24.

In the event that special length message pages either longer or shorter than those the storage magazine is arranged to handle are to be used occasionally they may be placed in the magazine singly, resting above the pressur'e rolls I42, as for 1 example upon the cross brace I40, and extendwhen cam I63 releases lever I51, and switching 9 magnet I69 will remain energized.

When neither the transmitter nor the message storage magazlne'contains a message page, contact springs I5I and I6I both become separated. The energizing circuit for magnet I84 is thus broken at front contact I'IS, thereby efiecting the arrestment of the signal scanning and transmitting operations through the operation of link I89. The energizing circuit for magnet I9! is interrupted at contacts I5I because roll I46 is permitted to enter the peripheral groove in roll I44 so thatmessage feed function bar 98 remains in its normal position and the message feed bands ing under rod II3 with the leading edge in posiwithout removing those messages. It is, however,

As previously stated the spacingof the claw- Y shaped pins II9 on a band 49 is preferably equal to the circumference ,of the message feeding sprockets of the transmitter. The reason for this is that once in each revolution of the idler sprockets 4?, mechanism actuated by cams carried by the idler sprocket shaft 48 operates to deliver a message page from the magazine. When this occurs a set of claw-shaped pins II9 must be presented in position to accept and advance It follows from vthis that each message page should not be longer than the dis tance between claw-shaped pins II9 or if they are, two successive claw-shaped pins on a band 49 will engage a single message page, which is of no advantage, and a message freshly delivered from the magazine may be deposited over a portion of the preceding message page, which is not desirable. Preferably each page will be substantially equal in length to the spacing between successive claw-shaped pins. There will then be neither overlap nor gap between successive message pages as applied to the bands 49. The size of page that is to be used determines the dimension of the page storage magazine. The distance from the end of frame II2 to the point at which pins I24 of sprocket I23 project through platform III should be neither substantially greater nor less than the distance from the top of a page to the axis of the last feed perforation therein. If a page should be too short the sprockets. I23 will not advance it into position to be engaged by the claw-shaped pins II9. If it should be too long it will not be moved clear of the sprockets I23 when the claw-shaped pins H9 attempt to desirable to disable the message feed mechanism of the magazine in order that messages engaged by themagazine sprocket shallnot be advanced during the forwarding of thespecial size or rush message of any size by bands 49. This may be accomplihed by the magazine message feed pawl disabling mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

A pawl shifting cam 20I having an operating handle 202 is loosely supported on shaft I22 for rocking movement thereon adjacent to ratchet I26. Ratchet feed pawl I29 is provided with a pinv 203 which engages the periphery of cam 20I. At th point in its periphery that is normally presented to pin 203 cam 20I has a radius which permits the pawl to engage ratchet I26. In a clockwise direction from this point the radius of cam 20I increases until it exceeds the maximum radius of ratchet I26, so that when cam 20I is rotated counterclockwise by means of handle 202 pawl I29 is cammed away from the ratchet I26 until it is held entirely clear. The periphery of cam 20I is provided with two notches 206 which a jockey detent 204 is adapted to enter when the cam is presented in either of its two positions. The jockey detent 204 is pivoted coaxially with pawl I29 on plate I28 and when the plate is rocked by link I32 Jockey detent 204 imparts a corresponding rocking movement to cam 20I so that the cam remains in whatever relation to pawl I29 it has been manually I29, shaft I 22 may be rotated counterclockwise one step to retract the messages in the magazine a corresponding distance, and the rush message may be' placed under pressure rolls I42 on top of the messages in the magazine, and in position to be next transferred to the transmitter, whereupon pawl I29 is restored to operative condition by reverse operation of cam 20 I.

In operating to advance the rush message in the transfer operation the magazine mechanism will advance the other messages in the magazine to the P sitions they occupied before being ret 2,274,788. tracted. Should there be several rush message:-

pages the pages then in the magazine may be retracted a number of ratchet steps equalling the number of rushpages and the rush pages put in the magazine on top in echelon arrangement with the lowermost and foremost in position to be transferred. The pawl is then restored to operative condition and the regular messages will follow the rush messages, into the transmitter automatically.

When a message carried by a long page is to I be transmitted it is desirable not to restore the fed pawl to operative condition after the ratchet has been back-stepped because the feeding of the long pa e into the transmitter would not be completed before the next message transfer operation occurs. The pawlshould, therefore, re-' main retracted and if th switch I94 is opened the transmitter will come to rest after the long page has been ejected therefrom.

The message feed function mechanism of the transmitter, whether set in operation by selection of function bar 98 or by operaiton of electromagnet I91, is arrested by cam 99 at the time that a pair of claw-shaped pins II9 have been advanced to a position to present the first line of a message page in scanning location. It follows from this that lever I51 controlling contact springs IBI should be released to test for' the presence or absence of .a page in the transmitter at the time that the feed mechanism is arrested under theabov outlined condition. This operating condition is'indicated in Fig. 3 wherein the recess in cam I 63 is shown presented to follower pin I62 which is prevented from entering the recess to permit separationof contact springs IBI because rolls I52 and I55 are held apart by a message page. As indicated, the messag page has not been drawn entirely out of the magazine, the distance from the message pick-up position to the scanning position being less than a page length. Therefore, claw-shaped pins II9 for receiving the next message page have not yet reached receiving position and magazine message feed pin I39 and the recess in cam IIl'are correspondingly remote from lever I33 lower arm IIB respectively. g

In Fig. '4 the message pick-up mechanism is shown with the claw-shaped pins [I9 advanced to message receiving position.

v and fol- The message which had been extending into the magazine has been drawn entirely clear and its trailing edge is seen to beAjust clear of the leading edge of the lowermost page in the magazine; Cam follower IIB has entered the recess in cam III and ball II I has depressed the leading portion of the lowermost page in themagazine into the 'ly rotatable sheet feeding element associated by said conveyor for transferring sheets indi controlledby' said conveyor for rotating said Gil path of pins II9. Pin I39 isabout to operate the .magazine-message feed mechanism and the recess in cam I63 is remote from follower pin IE2.

From the foregoing description it will beobserved that the transmitter will automatically eject a message page after the transmission of the signal combination contained therein has been completed and will automatically receive page after page of message material from a message page storage magazine as rapidly as the transmission of message material from a page is completed, regardless of the length of mes-.

sage material contained upon a page and without delay, so that substantially continuous transmission of signals may be accomplished without continuous supervision. Aslong as there is'any message page contained in the message storage 'magazine, regardless of how remote its leading edge may be from the right-hand end of frame 2, it will be advanced step-by-step until it is brought into position for transfer and is trans-.

ferred to the message page supporting bands in the transmitter. When the last message Page has been transferred to the transmitter and the message contained thereon has been transmitted the apparatus will be brought to rest.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described in the accompanying specification it will be understood that-the invention is not limited to the particular arrangement of parts and the details of construction herein disclosed but that the invention is capable of modification, rearrangement and substitution of parts, and alteration in other respects within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet storing and the transferring mechanism a storing platform, a unidirectionalwith said platform, a conveyor, means controlled vidually to said conveyor, and means also sheet feeding means periodically. 1

2. In a sheet storing and transferring mech anism adapted to handle marginally perforated sheets, a storing platform, a plurality of sprockets rotatably supported ,by said platform and having radially disposed pins for engaging the marginal perforations in said sheets, a conveyor, means associated with said platform and controlled by said. conveyor for bringing sheets carried by said platform into engagement with said conveyor individually for conveyancethereby. and ratchet feed means operated by said conveyor for'rotating said sprocketsto advance" all of'said sheets as a particular sheet is applied 'to and advanced by said conveyor.

3. A method of storing and feeding sheets 'having spaced marginal perforations, which comprises arranging the sheets in superposed relation and in longitudinally displaced relation to the extent that the foremost perforations of each sheet are in registry with perforations more remote from the leading edge of the sheet below it, advancing all of the sheets thus arranged together, and drawing out the lowermost and foremost sheet when its foremost edge reaches having spaced marginal perforations which comprises arranging the sheets ln superposed relation and in uniform longitudinal displacement cach'to each, positively holding said 'sheetsin' said arrangement, advancing said sheets together, relaxing said hold during the advancement of said sheets and renewing said hold upon all except the lowermost and foremost sheet, and drawing out the last mentioned sheet concurrently with the advancement of a" f said sheets.

said conveyor, and means controlled by said conveyor for operating saidisheet engagingand advancing means simultaneously with the conveyance by said conveyor of the sheet engaged therewith.

8. In a sheet storing and transferringmechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with .said storing platform for engaging and periodically advancing a plurality of sheets, means also associated with said storing platform for engaging sheets individually with said conveyor, meansassociated with. said conveyor for controlling the operation of .said last-mentioned means, and means actuated by said con- 12. In a sheet storing and transferring mech anism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with said storing platform for engaging each sheet of a plurality of sheets for advancing said sheets simultaneously, a bail associated with said platform in proximity to the conveyor for engaging and applying the sheets individually to said conveyor, spring means for operating said bail, means associated with said conveyor for controlling the operation of said bail by said spring means, and means actuated by said conveyor for operating said sheet advancing means.

13. In a sheet storing and conveying mechanism, a conveyor forrsupporting and conveying marginally perforated sheets including endless bands having spaced sheet engaging pins, clawshaped pins carried by said bands at spaced intervals as great as the lengths of sheets to be conveyed by said bands, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with said storing platform for engaging and periodically advancing a plurality of sheets, means also associated with said storing platform for depressing the foremost ends of said sheets individually onto said conveyor to engage the foremost perforations thereof with a claw-shaped pin of each band, means associatveyor for operating said sheet engaging and advancing means.

9. In a sheet storing and transferring mecha-- nism, a storing platform, means associated with said platform for engaging and advancing a plurality of sheets, a conveyor, means controlled by said conveyor for transferring sheets individually from said platform to said conveyor, means controlled by said conveyor for actuating said sheet advancing means, and manually operable means for rendering said advancing means unresponsive to said operating means.

10. In a sheet storing and transferring meched with said conveyor for controlling the operation of the last mentioned means, and means actuated by said conveyor for operating said sheet engaging and advancing means.

14. In a sheet storing and conveying mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, means associated with said conveyor for detecting the absence of a sheet to be supported and conveyed, a storing platform supported ad-' jacent to one end of said'conveyor, means associated with said storing platform for engaging and periodically advancing a plurality of sheets,

anism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with said storing platform for engaging each sheet of a plurality of sheets at one point on each edge thereof only for advancing said sheets simultaneously, means also associated with said platform for engaging and applying the sheets individually to said conveyor, means associated with said conveyor for controlling the operation of the. last mentioned means, and means actuated by said conveyor for operating said'sheet advancing means.

11. In a sheet storing and transferring mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, and having an aperture near each edge in transverse alignment, a sheet feed pin wheel rotatably supported below said platform 'in alignment with each aperture and in position for its pins to project through said apertures and above the surface of said platform for engaging superposed sheets having marginal feed perforations, means for rotating said pin wheels to advance said sheets, means associated with said platform for engaging and applying the sheets individually to said conveyor, means associated with said conveyor for controlling the operation of the last mentioned means, and means actuated by said conveyor for operating said pin wheel rotating means.

means associated with said storing platform for detecting the absence of sheets therein, means actuated by said conveyor for operating said sheet engaging and advancing means, and means controlled by both of said detecting means when detecting absence of sheets in said conveyor and on said platform for estopping operation of said conveyor.

15. In a sheet storing and conveying mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets, means associatedwith said'conveyor for detecting the absence of a sheet to be supported and conveyed, astoring platform supported ad" jacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with said platform for engaging and periodically advancing a plurality of sheets, means associated with said storing platform for detecting the absence of sheets therein, means actuated by said conveyor for operating said sheet engaging and advancing means, and means controlled by both of said detecting means when the first and second mentioned detecting means detect absence and presence of a sheet respectively for effecting substantially continuous operation of said conveyor.

16. In a sheet storing and conveying mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets individually, means for driving said conveyor, means for arresting said driving means to arrest said sheet in a predetermined position, means for detecting the absence of a sheet in said conveyor, and means controlled by said conveyor for.timing the operation of said detecting means with the arrestment of said driving means.

17. In a sheet storing and conveying mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conveying sheets individually, a storing platform supported adjacent to one end of said conveyor, means associated with said storing platform for engaging and periodically advancing a plurality of sheets, means associated with said storing platform for engaging sheets individually with said conveyor while said conveyor is in motion, and

means actuated by said conveyor for operating said sheet advancing means at a linear speed substantially equal to the linear speed of said conveyor.

g 18. In a sheet storing mechanism, a conveyor for supporting and conyeying sheets individually, a normally restrained spring operable sensing roller for feeling for the presence or absence of a sheet in 'said conveyor, and means operated by said conveyor for relaxing the restraint upon said feeling means to enable the spring operation thereof.

19. Ina sheet storing and transferring mechanism adapted to handle marginally perforated sheets, a storing platform, means associated with said platform for engaging marginal perforations in a plurality of said sheets simultaneously, a conveyor, means associated with said platform and controlled by said conveyor for bringing sheets carried by said platform into engagement with said conveyor individually for conveyance thereby, and means operated by said conveyor for actuating said sheet engaging means of said platform to advance all of the sheets engaged by said engaging means as a particular sheet is applied to and advanced by said conveyor.

20. In a sheet storing and transferring mechanism adapted to handle sheets, a storing platform, means associated with said platform for engaging a plurality of said sheets simultaneously, a conveyor, means associated with sair platform and controlled by said conveyor for in said conveyor, and means operated by said conveyor for rendering one of said rollers operative to move toward said other roller.

LOUIS M. POTTS. 

